Tourist killed and another injured in shark attack at beach resort
A rare shark attack has left one tourist dead and another seriously hurt at a Red Sea tourist resort.
The victims, believed to be Italians, were attacked off the coast of Egypt’s Marsa Alam resort.
Egypt’s environment ministry said they had been swimming outside a designated swimming zone near jetties in the north of the town when they were attacked.
Sharks are known to inhabit the Red Sea but encounters with humans are very rare.
Its clear waters, coastal reefs and abundand marine life make it popular with snorkellers and scuba divers.
The deceased victim was 48 years old, the injured man is 69 years old, and both are from Rome, according to news agency AFP, which cited a source at Italy’s foreign ministry.
Egyptian officials said the swimming zone near the jetties would be closed for two days, adding that swimming outside the zone was generally prohibited.
In November, four people died off Marsa Alam when a boat carrying around 30 tourists was hit by a wave and capsized.
Last year a Russian national was killed by a tiger shark off the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
The previous year, an Austrian woman was killed by a shark while snorkelling near another Red Sea resort.
Elisabeth Sauer, 68, died after the animal tore off her arm and leg off the coast at Sahl Hasheesh.
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